


Something Good

by Aria6



Series: A Coyote's Stories [3]
Category: Bleach
Genre: Gen
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2015-02-12
Updated: 2015-02-11
Packaged: 2018-03-11 23:14:59
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 2
Words: 4,243
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/3336380
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Aria6/pseuds/Aria6





	1. Chapter 1

From a young age, Aiko knew he wasn't really the child his parents had wanted.

It didn't really bother him, but it did confuse him. He didn't understand why his parents often didn't like his drawings. Shinigami wore black so the man in black was good. But the man in white wasn't bad, he was just sad. Aiko wasn't sure how he knew that, but he did. His father had given him such a funny look, though, when he'd said that.

His parents didn't like his puppy. Her name was Lily and she followed him everywhere, frolicking around his feet and growling at anyone who looked like they might hurt him. She bothered his parents though. Aiko thought it had something to do with how she never seemed to grow. They'd even brought a friend over to look at her. He was so funny looking, he had a wolf head! But he'd ruffled Lily's fur and told them it was nothing to worry about even if it was strange.

Aiko liked to wander off by himself. His mother hated that. She would be searching and searching and then so mad when he came home, because he was hungry and wanted lunch. She would ask where he had been and when he told her, she would be madder and try to make him stay home. She couldn't though. Aiko could always wander off, Lily following at his heels.

Aiko liked reading though. He shared that with his mother. They would sit together at night and she would read him a story. He could have just read it himself but he liked to listen to his mother's voice, look into her beautiful violet eyes. His eyes weren't like that. They were grey like his father.

Aiko's father was very important. Everyone said so. He was the Soutaichou and big and strong and brave. Aiko loved him so much but sometimes, he wondered if his father loved him. He would hug him and praise him and ruffle his hair, but there was something watchful in his eyes. And he hated Aiko's drawings. He'd especially hated the one where the man in white was falling out of the sky. Aiko had tried to explain that it wasn't bad, it was good and the man was happy but he didn't think his father understood.

One night, Aiko had a dream. It was a beautiful dream, full of bright colors and sounds. He saw his father using big black swords and the man in white was holding blue swords. They fought so hard! Aiko thought the sparks from the blue swords were so pretty. They danced through the air, glittering like little crystals. The blood was pretty too, but he knew that was bad. The man in white and his father were both bleeding…

Of course his father won. His father was the Soutaichou, brave and strong. The man in white had never had a chance. Aiko saw the man in white fall from the sky and he knew something important. Something he needed to tell his parents.

"Father?" He said at the breakfast table. He knew this would probably make them mad, but he needed to tell them. It was like a fire in his chest. He had to tell them.

"Yes Aiko?" His father said with a smile as he took a bite of his congee. "You should eat." He said but Aiko wasn't going to be distracted. He could eat later.

"When you knocked the man in white out of the sky, he wasn't sad. He was happy, because he knew something good was going to happen. And it did. You happened." Aiko tried to articulate what he'd felt in his dream. His father stared at him and he heard a gasp from his mother, but he needed to say this. "I love you father. I love you." He jumped off his chair to hug his father, burying his face in the black cloth that smelled like one of the people he loved the most in the world. Lily yelped, as if she was agreeing with him. "I love you." He murmured and felt warm arms go around him.

"I love you too Aiko." His father murmured and he felt an odd wetness on his head. Was his father crying? No, that couldn't be it.

His father was the Soutaichou. He wouldn't be crying over the man in white.


	2. Chapter 2

Aiko trudged home from another day at school, feeling tired and discouraged.

He was disappointing his parents. He knew that. It wasn't just that he was very bad at math and spent most of the day daydreaming, thinking about amazing things that were so much better than the boring classroom. It wasn't even that he didn't have many friends among the other noble children. Most of his friends were street urchins who had no idea of his origins and didn't find him so strange.

It was his lack of power. Aiko knew his mother and father would never, ever say it to him but it had to be a bitter disappointment for them. He'd overheard one of his aunts discussing it with his father, when he'd been someplace he shouldn't. He was very good at getting into things he shouldn't, but people never seemed to remember that. So he'd heard her mentioning that it was sad that he was showing no sign of spiritual pressure at all. Sad that he would live and die like a normal plus soul, long before his father.

His father had been very angry, behind his civil tone. Aiko could hear that. But it hadn't made him feel better about his lack. What good did it do that his parents would defend him? Because his aunt was right. If he had no power he would live for a hundred years, maybe, just like a normal soul. That wasn't right. Was it?

Sighing, Aiko kicked away a rock and began to wander aimlessly. He was good at that, always finding something interesting. Father had called him a little treasure hunter once, when he'd brought home a necklace with green stones. His mother had insisted on finding the owner, but he hadn't cared. Finding it had been the fun.

Today he didn't find anything like that. But he did find flowers, growing wild on the banks of a hill. He picked a beautiful bouquet before wandering back home. He knew the way. He always knew the way. Before he could get home, Lily found him. She was still a puppy and never seemed to grow, but that was fine. Aiko loved her just the way she was and she bumbled after him, yapping happily as he smiled at her.

When he got home no one was there, but that was alright. Aiko was old enough to be independent. He put the flowers in a vase and tried to remember what his homework had been. Thinking there might have been something to do for calligraphy, he opened the books and looked at his notes. Sure enough, there was a note on a project. A project? When was it due? He didn't know, he hadn't written it down. Aiko stared at the page helplessly for a moment. Sometimes, it felt like the world was just too hard to keep track of, too confusing. He knew it was his own fault for daydreaming but it was all so boring…

He was working on his calligraphy when his mother came home. Aiko looked up with a smile as she came into the room. She looked tired but still smiled at him warmly.

"Aiko! You're doing your homework?" She asked and he nodded. "We're having take-out for supper. Sushi from your favorite place." She said encouragingly and he nodded again.

"Okay." When his parents came home late they usually had food from the sushi place, or sometimes pizza. He loved pizza and his father loved it too, but his mother preferred sushi. "I found some flowers." He offered, pointing to the kitchen island. He didn't think she had noticed. His mother smiled as she saw them.

"They're beautiful, thank you." She said and that made him feel so happy. Aiko loved doing things for his mother and father, what little he could do. Lily yapped happily from her place on the floor and he picked her up, cuddling her for a moment. Her grey fur was so soft and she nuzzled him, sniffing him with her wet nose.

Then his father came home and he wasn't happy. He looked even more tired than his mother and Aiko had a bad feeling he knew what was wrong. His father didn't say anything as they ate, though, and for Aiko that made things worse, not better. It was hard to eat when he was sure he'd done something wrong.

"Aiko… I got another letter from your instructors. You didn't hand in another project." His father said and Aiko looked at his food as he heard his mother sigh. "What do you have to say for yourself?"

"…What class was it?" He asked timidly. His father fixed him with a stare that made him want to sink under the table.

"You don't even know? Aiko…" He said and the disappointment hurt. Not enough to change things, though. Aiko knew that… he would tell himself he would do better, would concentrate harder, but then it would all slip away when everything became boring and he dreamed of amazing things. Then he would go treasure hunting on the way home to try to distract himself. Maybe he'd be gone so long his parents would search for him. That had happened a few times.

"Aiko, sweety, you need to stop this." His mother said and he hunched his shoulders as Lily whined. "We know you can do better. You do wonderfully at the classes you like." That was true. He had wonderful marks in calligraphy. "You're a smart little boy when you try." That was true too. They'd taken him to Unohana taichou plenty of times, over the years. She had checked to make sure he didn't have any learning disabilities. Aiko almost wish he did have something wrong with him. Then maybe there would be something to fix it and everything wouldn't seem so hard.

"I'm sorry." He said in a small voice and heard a sigh. Then his father's arms were going around him and Aiko sniffed, burying his face in those black robes. They always smelled wonderful to him, just like his father.

"They're willing to give you a make-up project. We're going to do it together." He said firmly and Aiko winced. He knew that meant his father would help him when he got stuck but would NOT do it for him. No, he would be doing it himself and his father would be there to make sure he didn't get bored and start doing something else.

The subject he'd missed was citizenship and Aiko was nearly crying with frustration by the time he'd done enough to satisfy his father.

"I hate this, I hate it…" Citizenship was all about how the legal system and the noble houses worked. Aiko hated every moment of it. There was a sigh and Aiko looked up to see his father looking at him with a sad expression.

"I know Aiko. I didn't like it either, when I was a child. But you are a member of the Kyoraku clan and you might need this someday." Aiko swallowed and looked down at his sheets. He understood what his father wasn't saying. If he had power he would be the next heir to the Kyoraku clan. He would be strong and important, just like his father… but only if he had the power.

"…Will I ever go to the Academy?" He asked, feeling small and worthless. He could work harder, get his homework done, but that wouldn't do any good for his power. There was a soft intake of breath beside him and Aiko blinked as a hand gently touched his shoulder.

"Of course you will. You will be very strong someday, I'm sure of it." His father said and Aiko looked at him dubiously. His father smiled at him encouragingly. "You're just taking your time. It's nothing to worry about."

"…Okay." Aiko wasn't sure that was true but he wanted it to be true. And maybe… maybe it was.

He hoped so, at least.

"Hello Aiko. My name is Rose and I'm going to be your new tutor for citizenship and math." The stranger who wasn't a stranger said with a smile. Aiko stared at him, taken aback. He knew this man with the long golden hair from his dreams.

"…The man in white knocked you out of the sky." He said after a moment and saw the other man's eyes widen as his expression became arrested. There was a choking sound from his mother but Aiko ignored it. "You got better? He felt a little bad about it. Only a little, though, because you were mean to him."

"I was… mean to him?" He said and Aiko tilted his head. He just had that feeling, he wasn't sure how the other man had been mean to the man in white.

"You said something?" He hazarded, then blinked as something else came to him. "About the skeleton man?" Then he shook his head. "It doesn't matter, he fell out of the sky and you're better. Do I have to have a tutor mother?" He really didn't want this.

"Yes, you do." She said firmly and Rose smiled at him. Aiko distrusted that. He was sure his tutor would have him working hard soon and he hated citizenship. Math was almost as bad.

"Don't worry, it will be fun!" He said and Aiko regarded that as beneath contempt. Fun and Citizenship should never be uttered in the same sentence. "You'll see."

To his surprise, it was almost sort of fun. Rose was pretty funny and could actually make things interesting. Most of his instructors were kind of boring. Which wasn't too bad if he liked something but if he didn't, well, daydreaming was so much more fun.

His father came home while they were working and was happy to see them getting along. Aiko greeted him happily before going back to his work. When things were over he went to the kitchen table but Lily didn't. She stayed by his father's feet and Aiko used her to eavesdrop. He wasn't sure how he did it but lately he was learning to hear things through her ears. He'd kept it a secret because he knew she made everyone a bit uncomfortable already. And besides, if they knew he could do that how would he be able to eavesdrop?

"He really is an adorable child. He seems a bit young for his age, though. Unohana said he's fine?" Rose said and Aiko could imagine his father nodding.

"Yes, he seems to have no problems. It's probably partly due to him being the youngest child in the class. Perhaps we should have held him back a year but it's too late now." His father sounded troubled. "Thank you so much for helping us with this."

"It's nothing. Ah… did Nanao tell you that he mentioned the man in white?" Rose said and Aiko could hear his father shift, the rustle of fabric.

"No, but it doesn't surprise me. He recognized you?" His father sounded grim. "I don't know what we're to do with him." That made Aiko feel… not good. Why was it so wrong to talk about the man in white? He wasn't sure but he'd mostly stopped doing it. He still drew him sometimes, though, when he felt like it.

"Just cherish him. There must be a purpose to it, after all…" Then Lily was wandering off, scenting food. Food his mother was putting in front of him. Aiko blinked and smiled at her.

"Thank you!" Then he dug into supper, which was roasted sea bream and vegetables with rice. It was delicious and he fed some of it to little Lily, smiling as she yapped for more. She was a yappy little puppy but they all loved her anyway.

Aiko decided not to think about his father and the man in white. It had all been a long time ago, anyway.

It happened when he was walking home from school.

This time, Aiko was exactly where he was supposed to be. No wandering into the slums, no treasure hunting through the Seireitei… no, he was just where he should be, going straight home. Maybe that was why he was so surprised. When Aiko wandered, he moved with an instinctive wariness, always noticing what was there. When he made the boring walk home he hardly bothered. Everything was safe on the way home.

It wasn't today, though. Three men who looked like shinigami suddenly materialized around him. Aiko stopped and just stared at them. They were looking at him strangely…

"Did father send you?" He asked after a moment. His father was the Soutaichou, he could do that. He had once, a while ago, when there was some kind of rebellion happening. One of the men laughed as another spoke.

"This is the one. Take him." That made Aiko's eyes widen and he tried to dodge as a man grabbed at him. But he didn't have any power… they could move so much faster. The man caught his arm and jerked him forward, fingers digging in. Aiko gasped in pain. That grip was so tight it hurt, it really hurt… then he heard a high pitched howl.

"Lily!" His little puppy launched herself at one of the men and Aiko's eyes widened. "No!" She was just a puppy, she couldn't – he screamed as one of them lashed out at her with a sword! She managed to avoid that but then one of them KICKED her and she went flying. "LILY!" Aiko reached for her. He could feel how much pain she was in. "LILY NO!" He screamed as a man lifted a sword.

The sword went through the puppy, but Lily didn't die. She just vanished, in a sparkle of blue. Aiko stared as the blue settled on him, flowing under his skin? Then he blinked. He knew… yes.

"Lily." He whispered and she reappeared. But now she was a big wolf dog – coyote? – made of blue fire. And then there was more, popping into existence as he fed them more energy. "Get them Lily!" The one holding him let go, surprised, and Aiko fell back as a wolf of blue went over his head.

The wolves exploded as they hit the shinigami and Aiko watched with wide eyes as the men simply… vanished. It was like they had never been there at all. It made him shiver a bit but he refused to feel bad. Who knew what they had wanted with him? And they had tried to kill his puppy. That was just wrong.

We should find your mother. That voice in his head made his eyes go wider. It was female and sounded older? But…

"What about father?" A blue wolf walked in front of him, jaws gaping open and tongue lolling in a canine grin.

He's the Soutaichou. Big and brave and strong, remember? Aiko blinked, having the strangest feeling that the wolf was laughing at him. He doesn't need us but she might. And she will know where you should go. That made Aiko brighten. It was true, his mother would know where he should be. He shouldn't go home, he knew that. It would be easy for enemies to find him there.

So instead he went searching for his mother. He found her in the First Division, issuing quick orders to her shinigami. When she noticed him, though, she was shocked and a bit angry.

"Aiko! What are you doing here?" She asked and he quickly started to explain.

"I was just walking home mother and some men who looked like shinigami tried to grab me…" He started and her anger quickly turned to surprise and fear. She gripped his shoulders, checking him over for any injuries. "One of them hurt me but it's not too bad." He said before showing her his arm. He was bruising but he'd done worse to himself by accident. "But they tried to kill Lily and she just vanished and now I can make wolves that explode!" That was pretty amazing. Aiko concentrated for a moment and a blue wolf popped into existence. Lily yawned widely before flopping over onto her side, for all the world like a dog that wanted to nap. "I can hear Lily in my head and she sounds kind of like a big sister. Oh, and I can fly!" On the way over he'd had time to think about it and he'd realized that somehow, all his power had been in Lily. Now that she was part of him he had power, just like his father and his mother. "Can I help you mother? Can I?" His wolves were so strong… but his mother smiled at him and shook her head.

"You don't know how to use a sword yet, Aiko." She said, which was certainly true. Then she called two of her men over, fairly powerful ones. "Take him to the Academy. You'll be safe there." She said to him and Aiko nodded. He'd been taken to the Academy once before, when bad things were happening. He went obediently with the two men and this time, he didn't need to be carried. He could keep up.

That was marvelous.

Aiko could hear his parents talking, the quiet murmur of conversation and he was sure they were talking about him. Sighing to himself, he called up a blue wolf but made it the size of little Lily. It wasn't quite the same… he couldn't cuddle the blue fire the way he had his pup… but they couldn't go back.

They love you, Aiko. They're just worried. Lily's voice was gentle and he nodded with a sigh as he picked her up. A spectral tongue swiped his cheek.

"I know." He knew his parents loved him. It was just hard, sometimes. "I like that I can talk to you." That was nice. Lily nuzzled his hand lovingly.

I like that too. She said and the door opened. Aiko looked up as his father walked into the room. He smiled at him although his smile wilted a little as he saw Lily in his arms.

"Aiko, can I talk to Lily?" He asked carefully and Aiko frowned. Then Lily sneezed at his father before speaking in his head.

Tell him I will if he wants but he's very rude to ask. Has he forgotten that it's taboo to even speak to another person's zanpakuto? Somehow, Aiko wasn't surprised by that. From the moment he'd gotten his wolves he'd known what they had to be. He looked at his father sternly.

"She says she will, but it's very rude to ask to speak to my zanpakuto." He said firmly. He knew that was right. His father stared at him, shocked.

"I… but you don't have a sword yet. How…?" He said and Aiko blinked. That was true, he didn't. Lily sighed before wiggling in his arms and speaking aloud.

We are two souls in one. Nothing about us is normal. When he gets a sword, I will imprint myself onto it. For now I am simply part of his soul. Red eyes looked at his father and his father looked at the wolf thoughtfully.

"You sound very different, Lily." He said and Aiko blinked. Different from what?

Different from what? Her voice echoed his thoughts. His father looked taken aback and the wolf suddenly grinned. I understand. I am just teasing you.

"I see. Lily, do you know why you're here?" He said carefully and Aiko tilted his head, not understanding. Lily's laugh echoed through the room.

How would I know that? You should ask your King. He has to have been behind it, you know. She said and his father nodded, slowly. Unless you want me to tell you how babies are made. You see, you take your –

"No, please!" His father laughed as Aiko blushed. He'd already had that discussion and definitely didn't want to hear it from Lily. "I sent an inquiry some time ago. The reply I got was very cryptic which is, I suppose, an answer." He said with a small smile and Aiko frowned. He felt like they were talking over his head and he didn't like it. His father saw that and smiled at him before ruffling his hair. "Well, you will definitely be going to the Academy, Aiko. As soon as you're old enough." He promised and Aiko couldn't help but smile.

"I want to be just like you." He promised and his father suddenly grinned.

"Oh, don't do that! You'll get in so much trouble." That confused him and his father laughed as he saw it. "Your mother would hate me for this but let me tell you a story…" Aiko listened, fascinated, as his father told him a story about the Academy and the things he'd done there. His father had gotten into trouble? And Uncle Juu had gotten into trouble too?

It was very hard for him to picture things like that.


End file.
